Collie says he is ready to help Patriots

FOXBORO _ Austin Collie feels healthy and ready to help the Patriots if he is given the chance.

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By
Paul Kenyon
Posted Oct. 4, 2013 @ 12:20 pm

FOXBORO _ Austin Collie feels healthy and ready to help the Patriots if he is given the chance.

The wide receiver went through his second practice with his new team Friday and pronounced himself a happy man. He is thrilled to be back in the NFL and even happier that it is with one of the league's best teams.

``It's awesome. There's a unique feel here,'' the four-year veteran said. ``Definitely great guys in the locker room, great team camaraderie. So it's fun, man. It's a great place to be.''

``All I want to do is just play football and that's what I'm doing,'' he said, ``so I'm a happy man.

Collie caught 160 passes, including 16 touchdowns, with the Colts from 2009-11 but suffered three concussions and a ruptured patella tendon. He signed with San Francisco this
summer, but was among the 49ers final cuts and has been looking for a team ever since.

It has been reported that teams were reluctant to take him because of the concussion issues, to the point where Collie was willing to sign a waiver with any team that signed him. He declined to talk about that issue.

``You know what, I'd rather not talk about that. The concussions are in the past. All that stuff is behind me,'' he said. ``I've been asked those questions a lot in the past couple years. I'm ready to put all that stuff behind me and move on. I'm just worried about being here, being part of this team and helping any way I can.''